by Windsor-Bainbridge » Sun Feb 21, 2010 7:08 pm
===HUTORI TELEGRAPH===
DUCHESS THOMPSON RESIGNS AS CLP LEADER
31 July 2897
After 21 years as leader of the CLP, Duchess Thompson has today announced her resignation. Describing her term as leader "life-enhancing", the Duchess today retreated to her private home for some time alone. For almost half of her own life, Duchess Thompson has been at the top of politics, leading the CLP in both victory and defeat, and has been Prime Minister for a total of 15 years. Becoming leader at the age of 23 made the Duchess one of the youngest ever front line politicians in Hutori, and at the age of just 44, she remains much younger than the age at which many politicians ever became prominent.
It is believed that Duchess Thompson was forced to resign after meeting with the Party Leadership Committee. For the second time in a row, the CLP failed to take a majority in any of Hutori's constituencies and, most worryingly for the PLC, the newly-founded HNP, a party based on similar lines to the nationalists, gained control of Kenai. Speaking about this, Duchess Thompson said:
"The Hutorian electorate often seem to have an extraordinary trust in new and untried parties. It is my one doubt about the benefits of democracy! But the people must speak, and the people will soon learn that with their rights come responsibilities. Pollsters tell me that parties of government often get punished, explaining the ridiculous rise of fascist parties in liberal, tolerant Hutori. I am sure the people shall not put up with regressive policies such as the ones proposed by the fascists."
Asked why she resigned, the Duchess stated:
"I would be lying if I said I wasn't partly pushed! But, all good things must come to an end, and it feels that this is the right time to go. A new battle must be fought as fascism seems to be on the rise, and that needs a new, idealistic CLP leader. I will always be on the sidelines ready to help should it be needed, just as my great-uncle and Duke Major did after their periods in office. I hope that my successor takes the right decision and works with the non-fascist parties to save Hutori."
It is believed that Duchess Thompson will take a couple of years out of frontline politics before returning for a leading role. Given that 21 out of her 44 years have been spent at the very front of public life, it would not be surprising if the Duchess puts some time aside for herself. However, it would be very unusual indeed, given her personality and beliefs, if she stayed out of politics altogether.
After a relatively short leadership election, the Rt Hon David Craddock, the current Health and Social Services Secretary, has been elected leader. He has been described as a safe pair of hands, who will not return to extreme libertarianism, but also an idealist, who wishes to defeat the fascists through rhetoric.